


From Time to Time

by Merlin Missy (mtgat)



Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: Crack, Gen, Yuletide 2003, Yuletide Treat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-12-22
Updated: 2003-12-22
Packaged: 2018-01-25 03:44:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1629758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mtgat/pseuds/Merlin%20Missy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>While watching his favorite mortal, Q spies a new friend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	From Time to Time

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Alara J Rogers (AlaraJRogers)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlaraJRogers/gifts).



Since their last encounter, Q had contented himself with watching his favorite mortal. He could interfere if he chose, extend a tendril of power and save Picard from whatever peril the human found this time; Q preferred to watch him twist in the wind, as it were. Picard was ever the inventive one in finding ways out of tight situations. 

Q could have plucked him from the path of the Nexus. From his own reality, he watched the ribbon cut across the star system, watched the sun wink out, watched his pet be snatched from harm's way and into pure light. And did nothing. Picard was gone, and moments later, so was his ship and his crew, and there was nothing to see. 

Q entered the Nexus with a thought. 

Again he watched, first as the human reveled in his fantastic surroundings, and then as he rebelled against them with the help of that old witch's shadow. Q watched him search for and locate help in another shadow, long years dead. 

But _this_ one ... 

Picard was restraint personified, was staid and proper and everything a Q was not. It had delighted him to chip away at that wall bit by bit, try to expose the man's core. _This_ one knew restraint, yes, but only as a prelude to action. Where Picard was ice, this one was flame. Picard's imaginary realm meant a wife and children in a perfectly boring Christmas; this one knew lover after lover, and Q was quite certain most were memory rather than fantasy. 

_This_ one was passion. 

How interesting. 

They left the Nexus together, these strange brothers on their quest, but as the witch had left her shadow, so too did remnants of both remain here. 

Q manifested himself into a dream. "Hello, Jim." 

The shadow-man, lost in his own illusion, turned from where he was dressing. "Who are you?" Demanding. Lovely! 

"Q! What are you doing here?" Picard's shadow materialized, glared at him. Even better. 

"Welcome to wonderland, mon capitans! The three of us are going to have a _very_ good time."  
 

* * *

 

 


End file.
